Precipice
by JamminGirl90
Summary: A post-ep reaction fic to "Watershed." Basically, how my spastic brain reacted to the cliffhanger. Second chapter added because my brain just won't stop going after that finale.
1. Chapter 1

_*So, my brain is dumb and mean and once it latches onto an idea, it won't let go...like a dog or a raccoon. Anyway, this was its reaction to the Watershed cliffhanger. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE FINALE YET!_

_Disclaimer: ha, yeah, no_

(Kate)

"I've decided I want more. We both deserve more."

Her heart stops with those words. She feels the tears well up. Because his words, his tone of voice, the way he'd walked out of her apartment the other night...she can only see this going one way, and it's going to break her heart.

"I agree," she mumbles, trying to keep the fear out of her voice. Maybe if she can show him that she really is in this, that she wants more with him, maybe then he'll reconsider. Maybe he won't leave.

"So, whatever happens," he continues, "whatever you decide..." He gets off of the swing, goes down to one knee, and _oh_, she was wrong. She's never been more happy to be wrong.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett," he holds up the ring. It's beautiful and simple and she's choking up again. The flood of emotions is overwhelming in its intensity. _Wow_. "will you marry me?"

She means to answer him, but with everything from the last few days swirling around in her head, all that comes out is, "I'm pregnant."

He's obviously not expecting that, almost drops the ring in shock. "Kate, what?"

"Well," she hesitates. "I _think_ I'm pregnant. I don't know for sure, yet."

"When..." he trails off, but she knows what he's trying to ask.

"I only started having suspicions today, actually," she tells him. "I've been feeling weird for the past few days, but I just chalked it up to that job interview. But even after I decided that I couldn't take the job, the weird feelings didn't go away. So, I started doing some mental math and things...weren't adding up. Or maybe they were, I don't know, but it was enough that I bought a test and took it before I came here, and..."

"It was positive," he finishes for her.

She nods, returning his tentative smile. "I mean, it's only one test, and it could totally be a false positive, but..."

He actually smiles, nodding again. "I get it." He pauses and his smile widens. "You didn't take the job," he says. "Not that I'm complaining, but...why?"

"I was in the middle of interrogating our suspect, and it just hit me. I was already where I wanted to be." She shrugs. "Yeah, D.C. is a great opportunity, but here with you...Ryan, Espo, Gates, the 12th. I'm already home." They're both silent as he absorbs her explanation. "So," she finally says, "you're okay with...this? I know we haven't exactly talked about kids..."

"I said 'whatever happens,' Kate, and I meant it," he assures her. "So, if you are pregnant, or even if you're not, whatever happens, we'll get through it. Together."

She lets out a breath, lets the grin take over her face. "Ask me again," she requests, reaching out for his hand.

He takes her hand, holds up the ring again. "Will you marry me, Kate?"

"Yes."


	2. Chapter 2

_*A second, admittedly more realistic, way the proposal could work itself out. Because my brain just won't shut up after that finale._

(Castle)

"Katherine Houghton Beckett, will you marry me?"

He's stunned her into silence. When it's been a couple of minutes and she hasn't responded, he starts to get concerned. "Kate," he prompts, "now would be a good time to say something."

She laughs. She actually laughs and that gorgeous smile stays on her face as she joins him on the ground. She takes his face in her hands and kisses him. She's still smiling when she pulls back and whispers, "No."

Every thought in his brain crashes into a jumbled heap and his heart sinks into his stomach. He pockets the ring, moves to stand up. "This was a bad idea," he mutters.

"No. No, Castle," Kate says frantically, pulling him back down. She takes his face in her hands again, makes her look at him. "Let me rephrase," she says. "Not right now."

"Not...right now?" he repeats, still confused but regaining hope because she's still smiling.

Her right hand wanders, curling around his ear, caressing his jaw, stroking his cheek. She's done this often enough before that he knows what she's doing. She's trying to calm him down.

"You know I love you, Castle," she murmurs. "And I do want this, someday. But, right now, it's just too soon." She pauses, lets out a sigh. "I mean, look at us, Castle. When things get serious, we don't talk about it. We either brush it off or run and hide. And I don't want to keep doing that. You're too important. _We're _too important."

He swallows, leans into her caress. "You're right," he admits. "But I got scared, Kate. Because we _don't _talk about things, and sometimes that's okay, but when it's something this big..." He swallows down the lump in his throat. "I felt like I was losing you. We weren't talking, and I got scared because I can't lose you. And I...I just needed you to know that I'm in this, no matter what."

A tear slips down her cheek, and before he can brush it away, she's wrapping her arms around him, crushing herself to him. "I got scared, too," she confesses. "I didn't know where we were going and then we weren't talking and I didn't know what to do." He feels her tears drip onto his neck. "And then, before you proposed..." She sniffles, lets out a shaky breath, and continues, "I thought you were breaking up with me."

He holds her closer, pulls her into his lap. "Never," he says, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I promise. I'm with you, no matter what."

She nods against him, sniffles again. "We really suck at this, don't we?" she asks, looking up at him.

He kisses her, brushes away more tears. "Not all the time," he says. "And we can work on this. We _will _work on this," he promises.

She nods again. "We will," she says, determination ringing in her voice. She untangles herself from his embrace, helps him up. "Just so you know," she starts, "I'm not going to D.C. They offered me the job, but I'm not taking it."

"Why not?" he asks, genuinely curious. "I thought it was what you wanted."

"So did I, but I was wrong," she says. "New York, the 12th, you...this is my home. This is where I belong." She slips her arm around his waist, starts leading him to her car. "Let's go home, Castle."

"And where would that be?" he asks.

She grins up at him. "Does it matter?"

He grins back, kisses her temple. "Not at all."


End file.
